Police ID suspect in gas pump fire case

Police are looking for a 28-year-old Gastonia man in regard to an incident Monday that caused a blaze at a Bessemer City Road convenience store.

Police have warrants out for Anthony Dion Thompson of 2424 Sunset Ave., Apartment D, Gastonia, according to Gastonia Police spokeswoman Donna Lahser. Police have charged him with two counts of hit and run with property damage and one count of going armed to the terror of the people.

He has been charged, but not arrested, according to police.

Anyone who knows his whereabouts can call our Front Desk at 704-866-6702 or the Telecommunications Center at 911.

The incident happened around 6 p.m. at the Kingsway Citgo gas station near the intersection of Bessemer City Road and Sunset Avenue.

Henry Johnson, who lives across the street from the gas station, said he heard the commotion from his home.

“I was sitting on the porch and I heard a loud bang like there was a wreck and then the smoke started blowing up,” he said.

Johnson walked out to get a better look and saw a black male fleeing into the woods behind nearby homes. Johnson noticed him carrying a large gun, he said.

The car knocked over a gas pump before the vehicle went up in flames, said Jim Landis, Gastonia Fire Department spokesman. Firefighters on the scene turned off the gas line and extinguished the fire. The Gastonia Police Department was also on the scene to secure the area as the fire department investigated the cause of the wreck. Officers redirected traffic around the gas station for about an hour.

No one was injured.

You can reach reporter Lauren Baheri at 704-869-1842 or at Twitter.com/Lbaheri.